Travelling blog

 AKANSH SHARMA

22/4/22

TRAVELLING DIARIES

Moab is a paradise, whose beauty captures everybody as soon as you pull off Interstate 70 and turn south on Highway 191. Here, nature showcases the most spectacular desert landscapes ever sculpted by a creator. Bright red rock formations, thousands of massive, surreal sandstone arches, deep, cool canyons carved by the emerald green Colorado River in millions of years.

 Arches National Park itself, at the gates of Moab, draws more than 1,5 million people annually. Almost everybody comes by car or RV, trying to squeeze through the main street during the day. After only a short night camping along the Colorado I fled back then. Now the premises are much more promising. With peak season being over there is still a lot going on, but it feels a little slower paced. However, this week could become quite turbulent again. The annual Moab Ho-Down is set, a colorful festival all about mountain biking. The experts are testing their skills with various races and competitions and fans can try out the world-class trails and celebrate with movies, a community ride and campfires.

But first, I want to explore the canyons. Michelle is my guide. «Those walls over there, gleaming in the sunshine, are called Wall Street. One of the easiest and most accessible climbing areas around here.» She points across the Colorado, where the road worms its way between steep rock walls and the river. «We got some petroglyphs right here to our left.» I can’t really see the paintings passing by in the car but will check them out on my way back later. Shortly after, we are pulling into a small parking area. It only took us fifteen minutes to get here from downtown Moab.

Ours for now is called Hypatia Canyon, a four mile long hike through rocky canyons and over petrified sand dunes to three rappels. Michelle has been here many times. «Everytime it’s different. New wildflowers are blooming, something’s turning yellow, leaves are falling off. It has just rained, so everything’s greener.

 Where the sunlight hits the rock changes with the season. The temperatures change with the season. You notice different colors. Do you see that white stripe up on the rock there? That’s a layer of limestone. Normally this used to be a really dry area with those sand dunes everywhere. And then there might have been a couple hundred thousand years where it was much wetter, there’d actually be a lake here. And then all the animals living in the lake died, creating sandstone at the bottom. Every time I’m surprised by something.»

During high season Michelle guides up to ten groups per week into the canyons. «There are definitely days when you feel tired. The sand feels a little deeper, the pack feels a little heavier», she jokes. But the people often are super-psyched about being out here, and that is contagious.